Hainan, Macao eye higher level of cooperation

Officials from Hainan province and Macao Special Administrative Region have discussed ways to further enhance their cooperation to realize reciprocal, mutually beneficial, and coordinated development.

While attending a conference hosted on Sept 17 in Sanya to welcome Macao Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng, Hainan Party Chief Liu Cigui, Hainan Governor Shen Xiaoming, and Ho agreed that Hainan and Macao should seize the historic opportunities brought by the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The Macao chief executive led a delegation to Sanya, the southernmost city of Hainan province, for the 2020 Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation Executive Chief Joint Conference, which was held from Sept 17 to 18.

Hainan will steadily carry out the free trade port policies, strive to create a first-rate business environment, as well as set up "single window" systems for investment, trade, and talent services to offer investors and talents, including those from Macao, high-quality services and to promote the construction of a free trade port with high quality and high standards, said Liu.

The Hainan Party chief expressed wishes that both Hainan and Macao would seize the historic opportunities, expand their cooperation areas, as well as share the fruits of reform and opening-up.

There is great potential for cooperation and development between Hainan and Macao due to the two places' similarities in certain aspects, complementary advantages, and close ties, said Ho at the conference, noting that the construction of the Hainan FTP with Chinese characteristics provides a rare opportunity to deepen mutual cooperation.

Macao will help promote Hainan FTP policies, enhance exchanges among enterprise, explore more opportunities and spaces for cooperation, as well as deepen practical cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture, sports, industrial parks, traditional Chinese medicine, and trade and investment, according to the Macao chief executive.

While in Sanya, Ho and his delegation visited the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, and other places to learn about the implementation of off-shore duty-free policies, as well as Sanya's key project planning, construction, and industrial development efforts.